Dealer to spend eight years in prison

Accused heroin trafficker Coleco Tayloe Best, 30, was convicted and sentenced on several drug and gun charges in Wayne County Superior Court on Wednesday.

He was sentenced to more than eight years in prison.

Best, of 854 Old Highway 111, was found guilty on charges of trafficking heroin by possession; possession of cocaine; maintaining a dwelling for the keeping and selling of heroin, cocaine and marijuana; possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and marijuana; possession of a stolen firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Superior Court Judge William R. Pittman sentenced Best to 70 to 84 months on the trafficking heroin by possession conviction, and 12 to 15 months for possession of a firearm by a felon. Those sentences will be served consecutively while the sentences for the remaining charges will be served concurrently with the first prison term. He was fined $50,000.

Best, in jail since November 2011, will be given credit for the 605 days he has already served while awaiting trial, and a recommendation for work release has been put forward.

Best's attorney, William Bland, has filed an appeal and the stolen firearm was returned to its rightful owner.